Dragon Ball Z: Rectified
by TheSaiya JinSisters
Summary: What would happen if Goten was never born... and a baby girl was born in his place? If Bulma died and bulla was never thought of? If Vegeta left the planet and never thought twice? If the Earth was destroyed and never wished back? If Goku died and stayed dead? What if, what if, what if... anything is possible in a world of innumerable possibilities. (Rated T/AU/R&R}
1. pre-face

Dark hair, greasy cheeks and drooping eyelashes are what Leera found upon entering her lab that morning. Shock and surprise were also factors in spilling coffee and tripping over dropped scrolls.

"Kaz!" She gasps, causing tired hands to drop the wrench they'd been holding, and dark eyes to seek the disturbance. " _What_ in the world are you doing here? This room is _locked_ for a reason!" Leera recovered easily enough, eyeballing the pool of coffee on the floor and scooting papers out of its crawling path with a heeled toe. "How did you even get in here? Why are you tampering with my security devices?"

"I just wanted to look at it." Came the muffled reply, hidden behind a sleeve as the young girl scrubbed at the oil on her nose and forehead. "But… you're missing a washer to hold the bolt under the hyper-extension grid you got installed here."

It took Leera a matter of seconds to see exactly what 'it' was and as only a mature, responsible adult could, she screamed. The **Time Machine**! The oblong, egg-shaped structure was mostly intact save for the lower extremities which looked to have been pried apart and picked at. The precious metal plating had literally been bent outward, the edges chafed and torn with what could only be described as crowbar damage. Said tool was found toward the far side of the small room, like someone trying to hide a guilty conscious. The older woman pursed thin lips while brown eyes bore holes into the drooping head of the perpetrator.

"Son Kazini! _What_ in the name of Kami have you DONE to my time machine!" She lamented, setting down the now sticky mug and the other bundle of tools she'd been toting around.

"I just-"

"No buts! You know perfectly well I've been _slaving_ away on this project for **years**! And now-" Anger caught in her throat as Leera aimed a finely manicured finger at her beloved project " _now_ I have to go through and fix whatever you've gone and undone, on top of re-synthesizing the material I used to make that outer shell, _which_ wasn't a walk in the park!" That anger was quickly translating into a cold fury, the rosy hue leaked steadily out of freckled cheeks, only to be replaced by a frigid stoniness. It was rare to find Leera Briefs in such a rage as she was just now, for there was very little that could rouse such untidy behavior from the patient woman. However… _this_ may very well have been a step too far.

The accused seemed to understand better what her actions had caused with every passing breath, yet still managed to look completely unapologetic. This was unacceptable to Leera who stepped around the stacks of books throughout the room. For a scientist she was quite messy, clutter and stationary speckled the walls and tables, even the floors. It made swift maneuvering difficult, by the time she reached her destination the girl, Kaz, had stood up from the floor to face the medusa.

"Leera I'm sorry, I honestly didn't mean any harm to the tim-"

"What did I say? I don't want to hear any sorry's or but's or what if's. I don't care what you _might_ have wanted to check on or _might_ think is wrong with MY machine." She began, invading the girl's bubble of space until their noses nearly brushed. "We've been over this so many times, _SO_ many times. How many Kaz? How many times have I told you _no_?"

Kaz flushed then, pale skin swirled with shame "four."

"At least! Four. Not counting all the times I snapped at you for getting in my way and or lectured you on the importance of this project _and_ -" Leera took a breath "how it is paramount that I have it finished by the end of this year which is, might I casually remind you, _tomorrow_!" She was flat out yelling now and found little relief in how the girl seemed to shrink beneath such rash criticism. But she _had_ been told, Kaz had been with her nearly every step of the way, from start to finish. Although the child had no actual input or claim to the plans, it was that camaraderie they developed that made this betrayal sting the most. For that is exactly what this was, betrayal.

"Get out of my lab, and don't let me catch you around here again. Do you understand?" She stated bluntly, features grave, devoid of any compassion although her heart broke. Kaz was clearly struggling not to cry, tears gathering on inky eyelashes as she turned and nit-picked her way from the office.

Leera held her ground until the office door latched with a solid ' _chk_ ,' a sound that resonated in her head more like a _"good-bye"_. Only then did she take stock of the damage and let her own tears fall, grief filling the void which anger had eagerly hollowed out.

 **xxx**

"Kaz? What's going on, what happened?" Bluish purple hair and sky-blue pajama's greeted her in the hallway, causing a horrible rift in the broiling storm of feelings in her heart. It smarted like being got by a cat, sharp claws leaving raw marks on the sensitive flesh. He was persistent, even as she purposefully moved to walk around him, avoid him. He grabbed her arm and she flinched, childish resentment dirtied the chocolate brown of her eyes as she caught him with a sharp glare. Just one look is all she needed and Kaz knew he made no plans to let her go, not without an explanation. A soft curse and a difficult decision later, the girl settled on the only thing that really mattered in that moment.

"Your mother's a _bitch_."

It worked; he released his grip as fluidly as the nasty word had rolled off her tongue. Kaz wasted no time in bolting, leaving the boy behind in a confused and jumbled mess. Hours ago she had reveled in how entertaining the endless hallways of Capsule Corp. always made her feel like she was living a puzzle (even though she knew every room and location by heart), now they were an obstacle on her path to freedom. With a jerk to the left she rounded a corner to one of Leera's personal nooks, trashy romance novels and women's magazines littered the night-stand beside a flourishing, leafy plant. Beyond that was the window she sought, in a mechanical motion she unlatched the glass and flung it open.

West City, a metropolis of modern technology and the cleanest air West of anything, stared back at her. In a split second she decided that it was terrible, she hated it, and so she jumped. Nobody screamed and nobody rushed to call the police, the meticulous lawn was erroneously empty of even security. Kaz was free to land rather unceremoniously on her feet, and then knees as gravity dragged weak legs down another notch.

"UHFF, Uh! Auuuugh!" Her voice was hurt, rife with the anger and heartbreak that played so freely across her face. She slowly, and not without a fair share of aches and pains, got up from the ground, wiping green palms against her shorts. There was no reason for her to hold back now, so she cried, openly and loudly. If only to release the pent of emotions which warred in her chest, making it squeeze and break into a million pieces. Well… that is what it felt like anyway. Kazini wrapped trembling arms around her sides as she began the slow trek home, leaking her grief with every step.

* * *

The crowbar was cold, much like her expression as small hands twisted it sharply into the soft metal plating of the _Time Machine_. The material was actually quite strong, a powerful shield against the zero degree kiss of space and hopefully… time. Or so that was the intent, overall it had taken Leera years to put together the chemical formula for it. Now Kaz was tearing it apart for the second time in one day, only this time _she_ would be the one to fix it.

In the end.

She had to work quickly, reaching into the ragged hole for a particular set of wires. There were four in total: black, blue, white, and green respectively, each ran a long, winding course through the whole machine, working much like the primary veins of a nervous system. These wires had been grouped together earlier and taped to the far wall, hopefully, where Leera would not find them. Obviously she had not as dainty fingers brushed the rough tape, Kaz smiled, tearing them away from the wall. All she had to do was strip the ends and tie it all together, then solder it the expansive heart-grid.

Whether it would actually work was another thing altogether, but if the schematics read correctly, than this was the easiest way to get around the imprint start system. Even as she worked, fingers flying, palms sweating against the staff of the solder-gun – Kaz felt the weight of her actions, hanging like hook-weights at the edges of her conscious. This had not been the original intention for messing around with Leera's Time Machine, no… this was…

The smell of burnt circuits filled her nostrils and Kaz took a deep breath.

It was done.

A quick once-over to make sure it had connected to the right spot and she set to closing the panels back. Not once did she enjoy the task, it felt more as though she was burying something with every creak of the metal bending back into a crooked memory of what it had been. Kaz sat there on the floor, the chill finally seeping its way through the layers of her pants as she stared blankly at the damage she had caused. Leera would never forgive her for this; Kaz would never be allowed to set foot on Capsule Corp. property again when they caught her.

"Kaz?"

"Wha-!" She was glad she had pulled her hair back into a braid, making it easier to see upon whipping around. "Trunks!" (No!) "What are you-"

"What are _you_ doing? How did you get in here?" It was obvious _what_ she was doing, but the disbelief was evident on his face, right alongside the disappointment. Kaz shrunk in a little as he began to pick his way toward the lab door, all that separated her from fate and future. "You have to leave right now, before my mom finds you!" He exclaimed. Worry strained his tone as he had to stop and move a stack of books.

Kaz glanced from Trunks to the Time Machine, there was no time to sit there gawking! She had not expected to be caught _before_ her big escape. Let alone by Trunks… It could not be him, she would not let it!

"I'm sorry Trunks, I have to do this – you don't understand!" She stated loudly, turning away from the boy who abruptly broke into more of a scramble.

"Kaz don't! Don't start that machine! It's not finished, mom hasn't fixed all the coordinates yet. You have no idea what it'll do!" He sounded so close, as though he were right next to her even though she knew he was not. No, he was only just reaching the door to pry it open; she heard it swing on its hinges to let him thru. But she was faster than him and by the time he reached the machine's arching legs, Kaz was settling in to its driver's seat, the ovular shield sealing with a hiss. She would not look, _could_ not look at him then. Something in her heart pulled and she fought tears, her best friend, he only ever had the best intentions for her.

(Is this wrong?)

Buttons flickered to life as color blossomed within the console. A mechanical hum took up around the whole compartment, sending minute vibrations through her bones. There was a small screen at the very center of the desk, framed by something similar to an 80's picture frame, or some close reproduction. A little piece of home… how very Leera, Kaz smiled. It was easy enough to input numbers and codes; even if she was making most of it up, the controls were designed for ease of access. Noises coughed up on all sides as the machine came to life, the engine created a monotonous drone that only grew louder as the computer accepted the codes.

Kaz risked a glance outside the glass and could not stop the tears from falling. He looked so scared, he was crying too as he yelled things she could not hear. She never imagined she would be grateful for soundproof glass as a bright light suddenly exploded around the whirring beast. Of course she was frightened, heart slamming against her ribs as a knot formed in her throat. Kaz opened her mouth to scream, yet no sound came out as she leaned forward to duck her head between her legs.

Maybe, in hindsight… she should have put her seat-belt on.

* * *

 **A/N** : I have been through so many re-makes of this it's not even funny. I am literal trash. Anyway, I found a bout of inspiration and decided that I was going to write something relatively worth its salt: presenting the new and improved DBZ:R /again/. For anyone who has no clue what's happening: _spoilers!_

I will say for the sake of continuity though that Kaz appears in canon Universe 7 during the **7** year gap after defeating Cell and fighting Majiin Buu. Kaz is **11** , enjoy! :D

(un-beta'd)


	2. chapter i) be our guest

"It's… a Time Machine…"

"Well yeah but, who's?" Came an equally stunned reply, the two friends stood staring at what could only be another Time Machine. The glass covering was stained with bizarre water-like markings and flushed with steam from the inside. The outer-casing yet buzzed with energy, but from what the larger of the two could see, it had been sitting for some time. Blue eyes narrowed suspiciously as she stepped forward and reached tentative fingers out.

"Bulma wait! Don't go touching strange Time Machine's that just appear out of nowhere!" Yelped her companion, latching onto a creamy wrist to restrain the curious woman. "I've had about enough of the _unknown_ to last a lifetime."

"Ffff! You're such a coward!" She snapped, jerking said wrist from his vise like grip with relative ease. Though he had a point, even she could not hide the intermittent tremble in her hands. Really, what was going on? She knew of future Trunks' machine and the one she had back at the lab… heck, Cell's made three and now this one. What a strange place for it to land though, out in the middle of nowhere, hundreds of miles away from the nearest city. It was enough to send chills down her spine as she glanced back at her friend.

"Krillin, uh, go see what's inside okay?" Wrangling a touch of command into the quavering tone of her voice.

Krillin blanched, stepping back "Whaaat? No way! _I'm_ not going to play fodder for you, nuh-uh not this time!" He had played gopher for Bulma one too many times, after Cell there was no way in hell anyone was getting him near that damn thing!

"What!? Don't be such a baby! Oooooh! I bet Yajirobe would do it for me!" Steeling blue eyes she fixed the bald man with a glare that could move mountains. Pointing an accusing finger at his nose "How else are we going to know what's going on if _you_ don't go look? I can't fly and I don't have any ki to blast around so get over yourself and just GO!"

Krillin flinched back, but did not move to follow her instruction. Frankly the whole situation bothered him almost as much as her, if not more so. Being dragged out of bed to investigate a creepy Time Machine in the middle of nowhere was not his idea of a good time. Let alone after all the bull crap they had all had to deal with over the last several years, the whole thing gave him the shivers. She looked ready to implode, kind of, there was something missing from that typical Bulma rage. The woman took two steps forward, preparing a finger before suddenly her shoulders slumped and turned back to look at the machine.

"I'm scared." He was unsure as to what frightened him worse, how easily she deflated from her rant or admitting that she was afraid. To him.

"Well… I don't blame ya." He replied softly, coming to stand beside her. "After everything that's happened, I can honestly say I was hoping I'd never see one of these things again."

Her stance shifted and they shared a look.

Krillin gave a hefty sigh, rubbing a spot on the back of his neck that always seemed to tingle whenever something bad was going to happen. It was more of an itch at this point, but it still got his nerves going.

"Aaaah, _fine_. You go hide and I'll take a look." He conceded.

Bulma all but exploded with life, excitement teeming in goose bumps across her skin. She squeezed his shoulder and dashed off in a cloud of blue hair. Krillin frowned deeply, feeling the blood in his veins rush, flooded with the pressure of ki as he directed it to his feet and legs. Levitating gently the small man traveled up to the lip of the machine, like on future Trunks' it was just enough to balance on. It really was very cloudy, whatever waited inside must have been very hot, or breathing heavily. Or maybe… something worse? Krillin swallowed thickly and began to feel around, reaching back into his memories to find the one where Bulma showed him how to unlatch the helm.

It took a few minutes and he gasped when his fingers slid over the protruding button, pressing it without really thinking. Like a grasshopper he sprung away from the lip and watched from a few feet above. The machine trembled and coughed, the engine complaining at being forced to work once more, but it relented. The glass head hissed, expressing a cloud of steam that sent him into a coughing fit as it slid back to reveal the devices occupant. Time felt so slow, or perhaps it took _that_ long for the excess condensation to clear. Either way, Krillin was tensed and ready to defend them long enough for Bulma to escape should a new enemy appear.

Instead… "it's… it's a girl!"

Bulma, who had been watching from a distance perked at the man's outburst. Had she heard him right? She must have, for he closed the distance between he and machine in an instant, reaching in for whatever was inside. Bulma got up from the dirt and took off at a run, whoever it was they were human! She could see from the milky complexion and dark hair that hung from Krillin's arms.

"Holy! It's just a kid!" He declared, leaping back down to Earth in time for Bulma to come upon them, hearts pounding.

"Oh my gosh! She's so small! So skinny!" She exclaimed, a pang of sadness and motherly concern striking her right in the heart. How could she not be? The child looked very unhealthy, small boned, skin so pale Bulma almost went to check for a pulse. She was very pretty though, the longer Bulma stared the more she picked out little things about the girl that struck chords of memory she could not place. Thick black hair had been forced back into a braid that looked ready to burst at the seams, escaped strands framing a thin, high-boned face that seemed locked in a duel between relief and grief.

"No kidding, light as a feather…" He emphasized this by giving several light shakes; the child was totally out cold. "But, I've never seen this girl before. Do'ya think she comes from Trunks' time? D'ya think he sent her?" Krillin asked, looking up at the bewildered woman.

Bulma frowned, for she had wondered the exact same thing, but… something was not right.

"I don't think so, I don't know her either but I feel like I should." She mumbled, leaning down to brush some hair out of the poor things face, the muscle in her eye twitched at the contact, but the child remained unawares. "She's so young; I wonder what horrors she must have seen to need to use a Time Machine."

Krillin looked up at Bulma with dark eyes, saddened by the idea that this little girl might have been through any kind of tragedy that bad.

Though he could – regrettably – relate.

Still, the air was warm and almost stifling, but the breeze that swept through was bone-chilling. Being reminded of their surroundings, he realized that in her condition, it would be unwise to keep her exposed to such a chill. "We should take her back to your place. Get her in some different clothes, it's freezing out here." He too was compelled to move some of the hair out of her face.

Bulma nodded and turned back to the girl's Time Machine, what were they going to do with it? She could not in good conscience leave it to nature; the world was not ready for this level of technology. Just as she had with Trunks', the woman sought the pressure point that would return the machine to its original dino-capsule. But, there was just one problem… where was it!?

"Eeeeh?" She exclaimed, feeling across every inch of the darned machine, up _and_ down, to no avail.

"Bulma! We gotta go!" Krillin called, amused and also dismayed at the delay. What was she doing anyway? She had gone over the strange machine so many times now he was starting to wonder if she had lost it. Dark eyes returned to the child whom he had nestled snugly into Bulma's dino-jet, in the short time after being removed from that small space, already a fleshier hue was coming back to her face. That was a good sign, though still not signs of waking up.

"I can't find a way to fold this thing up!"

Krillin started as Bulma appeared at his side, looking more frustrated than successful.

"It's just not there, missing!" She huffed, climbing her way into the driver's seat of the jet. "I'll have to send someone out to get it tomorrow morning."

He honestly had no clue what she was talking about, blinking back at the woman in confusion. With a shrug he focused his attention back to the girl, curiosity making it difficult for him to think of much else. She was just so _small_ ; she could not have been too much taller than him, and definitely more petite! Bulma's earlier comment about tragedy really had his gears working, thinking up every agonizing scenario that could have produced such a deathly result in a child. There were no visible injuries to be seen, not even a scratch. But that did not mean that something did not happen, it could be a mental condition, something they would have to work through. Then there was the matter of the others, how were they going to break the new to them?

The little jet sputtered to life and they were off in one smooth ' _woosh_ ' of power. Krillin stared at the girl for a majority of the ride back, leaving Bulma to wonder on her own.

* * *

 **Four days later, Monday**

"Oh my gosh," All of the conversations in the room went abruptly silent as Bulma staggered up from the couch. "She's awake!" Suddenly she was maneuvering the coffee table and racing toward the stairs where an intern had paged her from the basement.

"Miss Briefs," exclaimed the young woman as Bulma swept into the warm lab, having had the temperature set at a steady 76 degrees, just for their guest.

"Is she awake?" She asked, not bothering to face the other woman as she swiped her pass card, entering the girl's sanctioned 'room'. The young woman stumbled in her wake, toting a clipboard with jumbled papers.

"Well yes, all of her vitals have returned to normal and we've received readings of brain activity but-" The woman pulled the top sheet of paper off the clipboard and handed it to her boss, "she hasn't actually opened her eyes yet, though Dr. Jessup is sure that she's conscious."

Blue hair was tugged into a messy bun as Bulma took the paper and scanned the chart. Indeed, Jessup was not too far off, with readings like that even Bulma was surprised to find those eyes still closed. Maybe the little girl was pretending to be asleep? She exuded stress and excitement upon approaching the girl's bed. White walls, white furniture, white sheets, in the four days since her discovery the child had returned to a normal state of appearance. They were glad to find that she was not unhealthy at all, merely thin and willowy by nature. Indeed, even her skin was rather dark, darkened by years under the harsh sun, and her hair... It had been taken out of its braid and washed, several times, and they were amused to find it trailed all the way to the girl's hips.

She watched the girl for some time, noting the movement under her eyelids, the twitching of fingers, and heavy breathing. Like she was having a nightmare, it reminded Bulma of Trunks. Coming upon two years old, the little tyke was prone to night terrors, an experience she had hoped to avoid, and not been so lucky. Should she try and quell whatever it was that ailed the girl? Would it be wise to initiate physical contact when she was clearly distressed?

"Miss Briefs, I think… is she having a nightmare?" Whispered the intern from her side and Bulma nearly shrieked. She had forgotten about her! If she remembered correctly, the young woman's name was Marea, one of Jessup's rising stars. Well, if 'Marea' saw the same thing, then perhaps it was time to wake their guest from her troubles.

With every ounce of matronly care she could muster, Bulma reached out and gripped the girl by the shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze. Eyes that could only be described like a black hole in space suddenly stared up at her; those eyelids flew back so suddenly that even Bulma was disarmed. None of them moved, Marea stood frozen to the spot, and Bulma kept her hand steadily pressed into the child's shoulder.

"Where am I?"

Somebody released a hearty breath and it took a minute for Bulma to realize it had been her. Marea too seemed to ease some at hearing the girl speak; at least she had retained those basic motor skills needed to function. It had been a worry of theirs for a while, if her condition would have adverse affects on her memory. Apparently not.

"You're in a room here at my home, do you have a name?" Bulma asked, voice sifted of any caution that may have lied there, only amazement and compassion remained. The girl took turns looking at them both, analyzing everything about their faces, bodies, and maybe even their intentions. It felt very much as though they were being scanned from the inside out.

"Kaz, who are you?" She finally replied, voice small, soft, unsure. In that moment both women's hearts must have melted, for Marea stepped up to join Bulma at her bedside in order to get a better look.

Several hours came and went since Bulma disappeared, none of the present company had really known what to do, and opted to stay put in the end. Krillin sat perched on the family's long couch while Yamcha paced in the kitchen. Piccolo had found a place outside the sliding glass doors that he preferred and Gohan had taken to wandering back and forth between he and Krillin. One moment they had all been waiting patiently for news, the next they were on their feet as suddenly-

"Who are you!?"

A girl – for Krillin, a familiar face – had come jogging up the stairs in a panic. Her dark hair was a mess and she was still dressed in one of those typical white gowns you wore in clinics. She looked between the people present and it only seemed to worsen whatever was wrong to start with. Her expression was mortified, as though she were staring at a ghost as she took in the immediate surroundings.

"What _is this_!?" Panic made her voice scale high; Krillin slid off the arm of the couch and displayed his hands in peace.

"This is Capsule Corp. or West City if that's what you meant, but how about we just- !" He began, only to be cut off in a flurry of black and tan as the girl scrambled toward the exit. Or so that was his assumption, even as he picked himself up off the floor. Thankfully Yamcha had been there to take her hostage, hoisting the struggling child under his arm with a disjointed smile, not sure of how to feel about the situation.

"Nooo! NO! Let me go, _let me go_!" There was nothing but raw, horrible feeling in her cries as they rose from sobs to screams, then back to sobs. "I have to go back, _I have to go back_ let me **go**!"

Piccolo, roused by the commotion had re-entered the living room just in time for the girl to fix confused, watery eyes on him. It was the perfect opportunity for everyone present to try and understand how they felt in that moment, for none of them had heard such heart-felt agony in a child before. Not like this, not struggling weakly to escape from friendly arms. Her breath hitched from the fuss she had caused, lungs wheezing for air as dark eyes got so wide, Krillin wondered if they would disappear into her hairline. Her gaze was whole-heartedly fixed on Piccolo, even as Bulma came clopping to the top of the stairs, gasping for breath.

"Kaz, has anyone seen-" She stopped upon finding the girl stuck under Yamcha's arm, "Oh, oh thank _God_." The woman rushed over and Yamcha gladly released custody to her. Having pulled a blanket out of nothingness, she wrapped it comfortingly around the girl's shoulders as she slumped to the carpet. "I'm sorry, I'm _so_ sorry, I don't know what I said or what went wrong but whatever it was I'm _sorry_. Please don't run off again, you could get lost in this place!" Bulma was ready to prostrate herself if it meant keeping this girl stuck in one place for more than five minutes. After mentioning Capsule Corp. and talking about what she did, the girl 'Kaz' had gone feral. Over an hour was spent chasing her below ground, then she vanished and they had become desperate. She was so glad to find her well and not screaming about nonsensical things!

However she was totally enthralled by Piccolo, completely ignorant of Bulma's whimsy, making it a simple matter of transferring her over to the couch. From that point she curled in on herself as if on instinct, tugging the blanket closer, and continuing her blank stare with the Namekian.

Krillin dusted the seat of his pants more out of habit than actual need, even if his bottom did smart after being pushed down. They all three – as Piccolo did not seem to care – moved to the kitchen to join Bulma.

"What in the name of Kami was _that_?" Asked Yamcha, hands on hips as Bulma offered him a beverage.

"That-" motioning to the living room, "is Kaz, and that's really all we got out of her before she went nuts and ran off." She offered them all beverages before opening her own for a good swig.

"She looked terrified, and I mean 'she just watched someone die' terrified. What happened down there?" Krillin was very much disturbed by the girl, no _Kaz'_ response to being restrained, nicely! In fact the whole scenario had been incredibly unnerving, a feeling that crept its way down his spine every time his mind turned to that recent image. "She looked like she was grieving and kept saying she needed to 'go back!'"

"She said that in the lab too," Bulma admitted, "I really don't know what it means, I don't understand why she'd react this way. All of her vitals are perfectly normal, she's healthy, no sign of mental incompetency she's just…" She did not know _how_ to explain what it was, taking another sip in order to fill the silence in her head. "She's just so scared, I literally mentioned Capsule Corp. and it's like I set her bed on fire."

They all turned their heads toward the living room for a moment, letting what they did know sink in.

"Maybe… she's remembering something back in her time." Suggested Gohan, leaning back against the counter with such a look of consternation that Bulma chuckled. "Maybe something horrible happened and she had no choice but to leave, maybe Capsule Corp. in her time had something to do with it."

"That's probably it." Stated Bulma simply, shrugging her shoulders.

"So how do we fix that? _Can_ we?" Asked Yamcha, crossing his arms after finishing his drink.

Bulma shook her head. "I've looked over that machine so many times now I'm about to take it all apart. It's almost identical to mine, future Trunks', a _nd_ Cell's. But it's missing some key features and it uses a different power source than ours." She was genuinely confounded, fingers crunching into the soft aluminum of her can. "I suspect… she's probably stuck here. At least until I can find out exactly what kind of fuel they used and _if_ we can make it here."

For once, the familiar blue haired scientist they all knew and loved looked to be at an utter loss.

* * *

 **A/N** : Thanks for your patience! Feel free to R&R!

(un-beta'd)


	3. chapter ii) be (un)prepared

There was something missing, something… _familiar_ , like home. This place, it _could_ have been home, but to the trained eye you would see that it is not. The walls were a few shades too dark, the windows a little bigger, wider. The furniture was switched around and the television was almost constantly playing, white noise that nobody paid attention to. The kitchen seemed to have been shrunk two sizes too small, precious space stolen away for the massive living room which frequently housed friends or guests. People, they were everywhere, coming and going, coming and going. It was a never-ending parade of strangers in crisp suits, or Bulma's personal friends.

They did not like Kaz, especially the green one, which Bulma had explained to be an alien from some distant planet. Actually the story had spanned a great adventure; she and some kids had gone into space to find the bizarre freak of nature called 'Dragon Balls'. On another planet. Truth be told the young girl had let it all go in one ear and out the other, having been subject to so many fantastical 'tales' over the past two weeks, there was way too much to remember. Well… more than she _wanted_ to remember.

The one person she could remotely stand was the man Krillin, he came by often, sharing in the story-telling at times, but for the most part just offered his time. Kaz enjoyed his company, relishing in the quiet, relaxed air that followed him around compared to Bulma who was perpetually hurried. It was also nice to have someone closer to her height to talk to, she supposed. At least somebody that would talk to her, she never got around to introductions with the panther-like man that stalked the complex, frankly he was frightening and Kaz made every effort to avoid him.

(Two weeks), she thought ( _two weeks_ ) since coming back to life in the woman, Bulma's lab. (Two weeks) since stealing Leera's Time Machine and traveling to a place she did not know, a place where although she was accepted, was foreign.

Perhaps that was not all true, Capsule Corp. was anything but _foreign_. The _time_ was, the people were, and that was all it took to put her on edge. Kaz wanted nothing more than to hop back into that infernal (maybe just a little bit damaged) Time Machine and go back home, face Leera, and move on with life. Anything but being stuck in a room, staring out at the rain as it pelted against her window. Out of those two weeks, one of them had been drowned in storms coming down from the North. Bulma claimed it was the changing season and that snow would probably fall in the next couple of months. Kaz could still recall with utmost clarity the moment Bulma mentioned snow, how her face had contorted in confusion, and the blue-haired woman had been astonished to discover that Kaz had never seen snow before. She could also remember the conversation afterward, and the teasing.

The notion of seasons was an uncommon one in her world, especially after Leera, Professor Briefs, and some of the brightest minds had concocted the 'The Paradise Cycle'. Kaz had promised to explain it all to Bulma – only after being bullied into it of course – and the more she thought about it, the less she looked forward to it. Not that she had necessarily been excited to start with, there was just something _personal_ about revealing bits and pieces of _her_ world, something Kaz had taken extreme caution with.

Bulma Briefs was like a bulldozer, constantly prying for information that would either help her case or forcing you to roll over until you gave in. This was a tactic Kaz recognized at once, being something that Leera too was fond of. At least that made it easier to rebuff her advances, a fact which had not gone unnoticed by the pushy scientist.

Kaz glanced up from her inner monologue as the door swung open with a 'click'. On count of the downpour, she had taken up seat at the desk Bulma gave her in order to watch it better. However as soon as she made eye contact with the being in her doorway, it was like somebody had dropped ice down the back of her shirt. It was _that_ man, the one that prowled the belly of the building like some kind of animal, always glaring and prostrating some invisible authority. If she had been a cat she would have hissed, instead a withering stare would have to suffice.

"Girl, the woman wants to see you."

And he was gone, like a ghost, and she briefly considered the possibility of having imagined him. No, not him, he was too creepy for someone to hallucinate all that. Why him though? Bulma always retrieved her personally if something was amiss. Kaz sat there for a moment, debating the wisdom of getting up; maybe the man was playing games with her? Trying to 'get her goat' per se. In a fit of rebellion the girl turned back to the window and prepared to relax again.

"Kaz!"

No such luck. Although this time she was not so opposed to turning around, getting an eyeful of who was probably the cutest darned baby on the planet. Trunks was Bulma's two year old son, of whom had recently started walking on his own, leaving him a plethora of things to get in to. In this case he must have followed that man up the stairs, in turn finding Kaz's room, and she was perfectly okay with this. His blue hair swayed in curly ringlets around chubby cheeks, a wide-toothed grin that she decided he saved just for her, displayed there.

"Kaz!" He repeated in a shrill tone, and she could hear his tongue working around the letters. It had surprised Bulma how quickly he learned it, but chalked it up to how short and easy it was to remember. Kaz found no problem with this, secretly in love with how he always seemed to migrate toward her in a group of people. Maybe it was that little twinkle his in his blue eyes, because they were _blue_.

It had to be him.

"Hello Trunks, how did you get up here? Does your mommy know?" She asked. All previous signs of malice simply melted into the floor. Along with her heart no doubt. The child tottered and tipped, making his way to her knees like a penguin in his vague grasp on balance. Once close enough Kaz swooped down to capture him in a bear hug, making the little boy squeal in delight. _Oh_ he was so warm… "You're such a silly boy Trunks, I bet your mommy is wondering where you are." She whispered against his fat cheek. He only grinned and went to work sticking wet fingers in whatever hair he could reach.

Kaz could have become a puddle in that moment; instead she got up from the desk and made her way to the hallway. A small prickle of something sharp and uncomfortable worked its way up her spine, but the girl only held Trunks tighter on their descent down the stairs. Images of _him_ flickered through her mind and brown eyes screwed shut, he was just some weirdo that Bulma kept around, there was no reason to be worried.

"Bulma?" Kaz called quietly, sliding into the kitchen with childish ease. "I found Trunks, do you need me to watch him for you?" She went on; even though it appeared there was nobody there to ask. Indeed there was no sign of Bulma anywhere, even as she stopped to listen, all of her typical hiding spots were eerily silent. In fact… there did not seem to be _anyone_ around, Kaz glanced down at Trunks in confusion. Bulma never left him alone in the house, and there was always some kind of nanny or sitter in case she had to leave. However the house was uncomfortably quiet, making the young girl shiver.

She stepped back out of the kitchen and looked to the living room, honing in on the phone she knew had to be in the general area. Trunks wiggled and jiggled as she strode across the huge room, wide and yawning in order to host a large number of guests. It still seemed so out of place compared to what she was used to, but the phone was on the West side of the room so. Kaz hoisted Trunks so that he rested on her hip, shifting and rotating as the young boy squirmed and bucked his torso.

"Hold still you worm!" She expressed with a breathy laugh, tapering off in dismay. Bulma's phone number was 869-335… Kaz was practically vibrating by the time somebody picked up on the other line.

" _Hello?"_

"Bulma! Where are you?" She gasped, taking a tighter hold on the baby.

" _Oh I had to run to the store, I had Vegeta go get you but you never came down so I just went on ahead."_ She sounded only a little apologetic and Kaz frowned, gripping the phone harder.

"Well did you mean to leave Trunks here alone? I found him wandering around upstairs and can't seem to find a nanny around."

" _Oh, well Vegeta's supposed to be watching him, bah! That man!"_ She groaned and the girl could practically hear the face palm over the phone. But she was about to burst with curiosity as she tried to find the best way to ask _who_ exactly Vegeta was.

"Uhm… well, maybe I could find Vegeta… uh, _who_ exactly is he?" Her heart was pounding so hard she thought it would burst right out of her ribs. Not only because she felt stupid having to ask, but also because she had the burning suspicion that she already _knew_ who 'Vegeta' was. It was a prospect she hated to think about, that meant she would have to pin down his whereabouts, she would have to purposefully seek him out. Just picturing his face made her cringe and Kaz hoped to God that it was not him.

The voice on the other side of the line seemed to have died and Kaz wondered if that had been the wrong question to ask. "I can always watch him; I wouldn't mind at all, I enjoy playing with him." She offered quickly, stammering only a little.

" _Oh… oh no! No there's no need for that. That man's gotta learn to pull some weight around here other than dumbbells and gravity! I just thought you knew him, I introduced you two didn't I?"_ She finally replied, sounding more or less flustered and Kaz flushed. How did she admit that Bulma _had_ in fact introduced them, but he scared her so much she made a point of forgetting? Even now, the idea of being forced to go look for him made her flesh crawl, and Kaz swallowed thickly.

"Uh… well I don't remember. I know I've seen him around but he avoids me like the plague so…" She mumbled while Bulma thought across the phone line. "I _can_ watch Trunks, no need to bother that guy any. I'd love to." She really could, even as the boy tested her patience with his incessant squirming, gnawing on stubby fingers.

" _No, no, thank you but he promised to watch Trunks last week and I'll be damned if he thinks he's gonna push the responsibility off on someone else!"_ She re-iterated sharply, Kaz could not help but wonder why it was such a big deal. Here she was offering to take the child off of everyone's hands (please?) and being rejected for mystery man. Why was his promise so important? He did not seem to hold much bearing within the company; with pecs like those, he was no scientist. Or even among her 'friends', everyone just sort of gave him space, if he was even present at all. _"He's got a moral and parental responsibility to Trunks and I just don't get how he can be so cold. Especially after getting to fight with him! You'd think the man would jump at the chance to do some bonding!"_ She continued, taking the opportunity to rant.

At this point the phone was starting to sweat in Kaz's hand and she was close to just hanging up, leave the man alone, and watch Trunks anyway. But Bulma was not done, she raved for several minutes about how ungrateful he was, mooching off her family and breaking her things ( _"even private projects!"_ ).

" _No, as Trunks' dad he's going to watch him. You tell him I said so alright? I have to go now so good luck, have a good day!"_ And just like that Kaz watched her dreams come true and her nightmares come raring to life in one split second. It not for Trunks babbling on her hip, she was sure she would have fainted. Kaz was not the fainting type, but knowing that she now had to go hunt down the elusive _Vegeta_ was enough to make her want to.

She could not aptly explain why he caused such a reaction in her, nor could she confirm that it was all fear. Though she tended to overlook it, Kaz could register a throb of hatred in her heart, swelling in brief bursts whenever he was close. Throw it all together and the feelings she had in his presence were volatile and reminiscent of hostility. Now she had to willingly put herself in that position, glancing down at Trunks with furrowed brows. His blue eyes shone up at her without a care in the world, glittering with the joy of living, drool winding its way down his chin. Kaz sighed and gave him a squeeze, for Trunks.

 **xxx**

"Uhm…P-piccolo?"

The alien, the first and only one that Kaz had ever met, was in the lower gardens, resting casually next to the pond. All number of massive creatures lumbered about this lower bunker, some of them growing so thigh that their heads almost brushed the ceiling. The Capsule Corp. facility formally housed two garden centers, where _this_ Capsule Corp. had **three**. Why anyone needed three levels of garden was beyond Kaz, at this point they were just more rooms to look for _him_ in. Instead she found the green alien, the… uh… the green alien from outer space. Flushing briefly at her oversight, Kaz waited patiently with Trunks in tow for the man to acknowledge them.

It took him nearly ten minutes to open a single eye, sharp and definitely not human, to spear them with. Maybe he had hoped they would go away, unfortunately for him Kaz needed help. As soon as he bid them attention she opened her mouth.

"I don't mean to disturb you sir, but do you happen to know where Vegeta is?" Putting a name to the cat-like face felt weird on her tongue.

"The Gravity Room." He did not miss a beat, making Kaz's eyes go wide in wonder. It was not the first time that he had magically known where people were without looking; just (poof!) pulled their whereabouts out of the air. Perhaps one day she would gather the courage to ask him how, but for now she was grateful to narrow down their search.

"Thank you Mister Piccolo."

It was not her custom, but Kaz managed an awkward bow anyway before turning to find the 'Gravity Room'. This was also not the first time she had heard mention of such a room, but seeing as _her_ Capsule Corp. did not have one, she let it go. Just another one of this places differences that gave her pause. Trunks he decided he wanted to walk on his own, fussing until she set him down. Now he walked at her side in a short, discombobulated waddle. She checked her pace to match his, taking advantage of the opportunity to be as slow as possible. There was no hurry on her end to finish this fruitless, and frankly useless, hunt. Her mind was turning in circles with Bulma's dismay, feeding into her own at having been tasked to _force_ someone to do something they obviously did not want to do.

No… only because it was _him_.

He made her so uncomfortable.

"Over here Trunks, leave that plant alone!" She cooed softly, gently removing his grubby fingers from one of Bulma's many plants. They lined the hallway like inanimate sentries, waiting to refresh some wary strangers' point of view. Kaz kind of liked them, you would not find a plant anywhere _near_ Leera's house. One too many horror films later and the woman was convinced they could move at night. Part of that was her and- Kaz sucked in a breath and fixed brown eyes on the toddler at her thigh.

 _Trunks_ … when they were younger the two of them had spent a whole week moving Leera's plants around. Always at night when everyone was asleep and spending every moment convincing her that they were frightened of the harmless trees. After that all form of plant life had been banished from the house and Kaz could remember the feeling of power they had felt. Of course there were many more pranks and tricks to come, but that one in particular stuck with her all these years. Maybe she felt bad, a secret that tucked itself away underneath the glee of having successfully tricked Leera into believing something so silly. Two children, plants that came to life at night, Kaz pursed her lips and gripped Trunks' wrist a little harder.

Trunks.

( _"Your mother's a bitch."_

" _Kaz don't! Don't start that machine! It's not finished, mom hasn't fixed all the coordinates yet. You have no idea what it'll do!"_ )

 _ **Bitch**_.

"Kaz!"

Little Trunks had wandered quite a ways ahead, having slipped from her slack grasp and taken it upon himself to discover a bend in the hallway. She glanced up at her name being called, imprinting the sound of his tiny voice to memory, just in case it went away to. She could see the resemblance between them, probably the biggest piece of evidence that Leera's Time Machine did in fact work. Except _she_ was missing, something Kaz had not missed in her two weeks living at _this_ Capsule Corp. There seemed to be no sign of her existence in this place, she was just as much an anomaly to these people as they were to her. It was enough to make her temples pound at least once a day.

Trunks did not wait at the bend, choosing to run haphazardly on unsteady legs out of sight.

"Trunks!" She gasped, forcing melancholy thoughts back to the backburner as she jogged to catch up with the wayward child. Maybe offering to watch him had not been a good idea… But the little boy had come to stand before a door on the opposite end of the new hall. Well lit and wider than most others, once she got closer she could see that it was even made differently. The whole door was molded out of metal rather than wood, a small window at the top allowed a limited view of the inside, at that moment nothing but darkness stared back at her. But there on the front in big, bold letters were the words "GRAVITY ROOM".

It was so dark though.

"Okay Trunks, you stay here, I'll go inside and see if he's here okay?" Kaz picked him up and set him next to the wall on the other side of the way. He giggled and cooed, but showed no signs of running off quite yet. She took a breath, then another, and another, and another, until the metal knob burned the skin of her palm.

The door swung open with relative ease, and just as fast the lights came on. Motion sensor, they illuminated the room which looked more or less like a kitchen/lab combo. The kitchen counter had a nice, silver sink complete with microwave and bread box. A refrigerator hummed right next to it, headed by a set of _very_ nicely made cabinets. The lab section looked like nothing she had ever seen before and Kaz could not surpress a whistle of impress. It was absolutely beautiful, like a life-sized model of the laboratories she only saw in her dreams. Except not at the same time. The wires and polished metal and tubing... it looked so glossy and well-kept. So many buttons and levers and what looked like a weirdly shaped pod in the corner, large enough to fit three people.

She might as well have walked into living heaven, all but forgetting the reason she was even there, until suddenly he was standing right next to her. So caught up in the mesmerizing scene, she had missed him exiting the _actual_ part of the room meant to be used. Kaz nearly jumped out of her skin, every follicle of hair went stiff along her spine, sending a sensitive wave of discomfort across her body. (Too close!) She took several steps away from him, trying to avoid the predatory glint in the darkness of his eyes.

"What are you doing here girl? Aren't you supposed to be _shopping_?" He chewed on the word and spit it out like a bad taste in his mouth. Kas shrunk in a little at how viciously he approached even the smallest of subjects, what did shopping ever do to him?

"I- I- I found Trunks wandering I- _Bulma_ , wants you to watch him." She might as well have spoken in another language for all the stammering and stuttering she just puked out. From the expression on his face he apparently agreed. His skin glimmered with several coats of sweat (ew) and dirt, the kind of dirt you got after shaving metal. _What_ had he been doing in there? He looked like he needed a shower, and definitely acted like it. Maybe a good dousing would clean up his attitude as well.

"Isn't that what you are for? You can watch him can't you?" He expressed, lifting a single eyebrow in judgment.

"Bulma want's _you_ to watch him. She said 'he promised, tell him I said so.'" Kaz pressed, against her _better_ judgment, and his by the way those eyebrows fell together in a knot. Yet he still had plenty of surprises up his sleeve, for with a tired shrug of bronze shoulders he exhaled sharply, nodding his head.

"Fine. Leave him here and be gone." Curt, succinct, and to the point.

Kaz nodded and ran, she did not just 'leave' she ran like the devil was on her heels, sliding on the make-shift rugs as she burst out the doorway to face little Trunks. There he stood, unmoving with that good old goofy grin on his face. He was not afraid, he seemed to know what was happening without really _knowing_ , or maybe that was just Kaz over-thinking things. How could such a pure soul not be terrified of that man? His presence alone was enough for Kaz to lock her door and windows at night. She really should have stopped to think some more, consider waiting until the man- no, _Vegeta_ was ready to take over. Instead she forwent any formalities and bolted like an animal, tears threatening to squeeze down her cheeks.

 _Why?_ _WHY?_ Did he scare her so much? It was humiliating and shameful, but nothing would stop her from hiding in her room for the rest of the day. Screw Bulma and her infinite line of tests and questioning, Kaz only wanted to fall into bed and never wake up.

* * *

 **A/N** : Finally got the timelines worked out, thanks for being patient guys! Yay! I made it past the number 2! What an achievement for me, take that writers block! For future reference, most of this will be from Kaz's point of view because I'm more comfortable with it, and because the story is about Kaz. You will be able to tell the difference when it does change though, as "chapter 1" is pretty obvious. Thanks for looking, feel free to R&R :)

(Un-beta'd)


	4. chapter iii) over the hills prt 1

" _She said_ shoot _the skeets not cry at them!" Exclaimed the taller of the two youth, bluish purple hair swept away from lanky shoulders as he grappled with his partner for her rifle. "If you can't even shoot a ceramic ball then don't force yourself to use guns!"_

" _I can do it! I can do it!" She cried, gripping the stock and barrel for dear life as the boy tugged, doing his darndest to worm that rifle out of her grasp. Quitting was not necessarily in her nature, but being stubborn and not liking something, that was another story. If there was even the remote possibility that she could succeed, you would have the fight of a lifetime on your hands. "Let go let go let GO!" Her voice rose up to a shriek._

" _Kaz!" He snapped, taking a solid hold onto the stock, "Stop_ _ **fighting me**_ _!"_

" _NO!"_

 _It was not until the only adult present on their shooting venture found her way back to camp, that the two kids were relieved of firearm custody. Her shoulders ached with the weight of the water buckets she carried when she came upon the scene; she nearly dropped her cargo in horror._

" _Trunks! Kaz! What in Kami's name are you_ _ **doing**_ _!?" The woman screamed. Letting the heavy buckets down, she rushed to the accidental suicide in process. "Trunks - !" Her voice cracked with emotion as she came between the two children and ripped the rifle from their desperate clutches. "- what are you thinking? I know I've taught you better than this. Handling a_ weapon _deserves more respect than you obviously have. What in your right mind made you think it was a good idea to jerk on a_ gun _like that?" She demanded, face thunderous._

 _The two children were equally ashamed of themselves, but somehow Trunks managed to look even more abashed than usual, hefting a large chunk of the responsibility on himself. It was hard not to notice, even as they both stuttered forth their versions of the tale, which, was overall very childish. Milky brown eyes held each of them accountable with little room for discussion._

" _I am_ very _disappointed in you two, both of you. It doesn't matter who did what or why, what matters is the fact that either of you could have died if someone's finger had slipped." She lifted the rifle, which was quite light, and slid the chamber open. A long, round bullet popped out with a 'kchk', dropping easily into the palm of its waiting master. "It's loaded. Not one of you bothered to remove the bullets before starting a cock fight. I can't believe you two!"_

" _I'm so sorry mom, I- I won't do it again." Trunks sputtered, eyes watering._

 _Silence, not even the birds dared make a sound. Something shifted in the air as Trunks turned to glance at his companion, silently begging her to apologize, if only to make up for getting them into this whole mess! Instead she merely stood there, trembling from head to toe, her whole face a bright shade of red as she struggled not to explode._

" _Kaz, don't yo-"_

" _I just wanted to shoot the bird!"_

* * *

( _The bird…_ )

Cold water exploded against her face as Kaz stared blankly at the porcelain sink. It was a beautiful sink, deep, wide, and ornately carved with pretty designs, designed for an elegance beyond her meager years. In fact, the whole bathroom was compromised to fit the liking of a much older person, even now as she 'freshened' up she felt miniscule compared to what this whole space must have cost to build. The whole _room_ was like this, and she was struggling to find the best way to tell Bulma that it was too much.

Every time she walked into the room it was like a punch to the gut, a gentle punch. But that… was not the root of her current dilemma. No, her issue revolved around the people waiting downstairs, or more, one specific person waiting downstairs. She could almost feel his belligerence from the bathroom, sending shivers down her spine.

And that was the precise reason they had all been roped into this adventure, or that is Bulma's word for it. Not two days ago she had scoured the room of every building in search of both Kaz and Vegeta. Kaz could still recall the horrifying encounter with utmost clarity. Being forced to sit down right next to the man on the couch while the blue-haired scientist ranted and raved about harmony and good sportsmanship, it was not until she finally suggested going on vacation that they realized the whole conversation was about them. Needless to say it had been an incredibly awkward situation for Kaz, being dragged out and put in the spotlight like that.

It served for a good discussion after the fact, or as good as one could expect a total meltdown to get. Vegeta had bluntly refused, informing the scientist that she could _"shove it up her ass!"_ before disappearing. Now he seemed to have changed his mind, for he too was present in the lower living room. _How_ Bulma managed to convince him to go on a vacation with them was inconceivable. The man had made it blatantly clear that he _hated_ anything to do with family interactions; he was there for the tools and the food. Nothing more.

(So why is he coming?)

The young girl sighed, looking up from the porcelain to the mirror. There was no way for her to get out of this, short of running away, and she would never dare after everything Bulma had done for her. It was still a difficult concept to think of this place – this world – as home, knowing that somewhere her mother waited, her brother studied hard, and her best friend sat betrayed. It was hard not to start crying, acknowledging the pudgy cheeks and wide, brown eyes looking back at her, misty with unshed grief. With a sharp pat of those pinchable cheeks, Kaz shook her head and left, leaving behind whatever depressing thoughts might have been come.

It felt like that was all she did, wish for what she could not have while such good things stood right in front of her in the present. Bulma really tried her best and Kaz knew it, heck, the woman had even offered to _adopt_ Kaz if it 'would mean anything'. To be honest… she had even considered it.

It was an uncomfortable subject for the longest time, but she had finally worked up the confidence to say yes. That is until she found out that Vegeta was Bulma's lover, after which she had retreated right back to her tiny corner of Capsule Corp. That had only been two weeks ago, and Kaz believed it was the real catalyst behind this insane maneuver.

Did she _really_ have to go?

 **xxx**

"My God! I was starting to think you'd fell in the toilet!" Bulma exclaimed as she shuffled down the stairs, gripping the straps of her fancy new hiking pack like a life-line. Bulma had dressed in handsome shorts and a signature tube shirt, topped with a jean jacket, and finished with a cap. Trunks was geared up in matching camouflage pants and shirt, sporting a smaller version of Bulma's jean jacket. Vegeta leaned against the far wall and looked ready to kill someone, more or less. Dressed in tight spandex and donning a rare pair of jeans overtop, it looked like he had some new boots too. He looked just as thrilled as Kaz did, having decided on a pair of knee-length cargo shorts and a light tee-shirt.

"Are you ready to go? Did you pack everything?" The woman probed as she shooed Trunks away from the plant he was trying to gnaw on. Vegeta sniffed and was the first out the front door, leaving Kaz to hoist the woman's several belongings, including her own. Kaz grunted under the weight, fixing Bulma with a disbelieving glance.

"What d'you have in these things? I thought we were going camping." She complained.

Trunks gurgled and laughed, chasing awkwardly after Vegeta through the front door. Bulma grabbed the rest of her things and laughed as well.

"Oh you know, just a few changes of clothes and some make-up. Just 'cause we're going wild doesn't mean we get to slack you know!" She explained, giving one of the smaller totes an affectionate tug. "A woman never leaves the house without her glory bag!"

Vegeta was nowhere in sight, but Trunks had smooshed himself against the West side of the outside wall, which meant the man was not too far. Kaz watched in rapt amazement as Bulma retrieved a capsule from her dino-pac, gasping excitedly as it flew through the air, and erupted with a 'POOF!'. The dino-capsules were one of the few things that Leera had kept hidden from prying eyes, claiming they were a precious invention, and _"she deserves that much"_. Kaz never quite understood what it meant, only that they were something to be sought after and now… Bulma used them en masse!

Watching those tiny little pods just 'BURST' into existence felt like opening a Christmas present, every time. Trunks clapped giddily as a large, bright yellow jumbo jet appeared from within the resulting cloud. This jet was tall rather than long, fat instead of thin, designed to carry several people with room to move. And probably plenty of storage space for the amount of crap its creator dragged everywhere. Kaz eyeballed the totes and suitcases in dismay.

"Alright! Let's get 'er loaded up and get outta here!"

With Vegeta still missing, it was left – mostly to Kaz – to the two girls to do the dirty work. Rolling it all outside was nothing compared to stacking it 'just the right way' for Bulma's tastes. Would not want any of her precious cargo damaged would they? It took nearly an hour before the scientist was satisfied. By the time the young girl fell into a plush seat, she was ready to claim some shut-eye for the trip.

Bulma however, was flying, therefore Trunks needed to be supervised.

Kaz groaned and set to chasing the adorable toddler throughout the open bay area, trying her best to forget about the worry that knotted in her gut.

* * *

 **A/N** : So this one's a bit shorter, wanted to get this story arc introduced! In case anyone was wondering, there _is_ a plot to this story and it is going somewhere. I've tried to design it with a good lump sum of realism and traditional Toriyama style put together. It is a **slow burn** , I've got a lot planned out and I wouldn't expect anything less than 50+ chapters. Neither should you! :D For anyone that would like to see a picture of Kaz, I've got her design up on my DA. Feel free to note me, unless I see some interest I'll wait until I have nicer, more established art before posting links :) Thanks for reading! R&R!


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